Group pleads for Silver Ball protection

The Warrnambool Planning and Heritage Group wants the city's council to do more to preserve the former Fletcher Jones factory and its Silver Ball.

The group will launch a report next week about the failed campaign to save the city's oldest house from demolition last year.

The report will urge the council to survey the current condition of the Fletcher Jones site.

The group's president, Julie Eagles, says a more proactive approach to protecting heritage sites is needed.

"The negotiation and working with that private owner to provide incentives and assistance for them to be able to look after what we have determined is important to us, then that process needs to be a more proactive one than currently happens," she said.

She says the Silver Ball is too valuable to fall further into disrepair.

"It makes you know that you're in Warrnambool," she said.

"It has state heritage listing and we see that falling further into disrepair as well.

"It looks rusty, we certainly wouldn't like to see that disintegrate and not be there any more."